Caring For Dwarf Hamsters

So
you're hanging out with your new friend and you have some
questions... let's see if we can help.

Some good
things to know...

1. Dwarf Hamsters are nocturnal

this
means that they sleep during the day and are most active at night.

it's
important that you do not continually disturb the sleep of your
hamsters during the day to play with them because they may be
temperamental at that time.

2. Dwarf Hamsters don't always get along

hamsters
are solitary creatures, meaning that they are perfectly happy living
on their own.

however,
hamsters can get along with each other if they were from the same
litter or grow up together when they are babies.

if
you decide to house more than 1 hamster in a cage, do keep an eye
out for their behaviour, any fighting should be a good sign to
separate them (hamsters can die easily under stress).

3. Dwarf Hamsters need to be trained to be held

if
you want to be able to play with your hamster outside of their cage,
it's important that you routinely have them get used to you by
holding them every day.

yes,
you may get bitten the first few times but they will slowly warm to
your touch.

try
not to alarm them by picking them up from behind when they are
unaware, you can get their attention first and then grab them by the
skin on the back of their neck (that's how mommy hamsters pick up
baby hamsters).

4. Dwarf Hamsters
need to chew

hamsters
need to chew on things because their teeth are continually growing
even when their bodies are full grown.

it's
important to have chew toys or wooden sticks etc. for them to chew
on so they are kept happy.

watch
out for hamsters chewing on cages - some cage materials may be bad
for hamsters if chewed and ingested.

5. Dwarf Hamsters
require a clean environment

as
you'll know, hamsters will do their business wherever they want, so
it's important to always keep the cage clean to minimize sickness
for the hamster or to humans.

6. Dwarf Hamsters
will clean themselves

no
unfortunately they won't clean their cage for you but they will
clean themselves.

if
you have a hamster, you'll quickly notice that they enjoy spending a
lot of their time grooming themselves and cleaning themselves.

don't
try to wash your hamster in water, they will get sick and may die.